


You're my soulmate... right?

by 26EdithFinn



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:55:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22337416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/26EdithFinn/pseuds/26EdithFinn
Summary: Hermione is a bit confused. She doesn't understand why she and Ron aren't... touching, when it clearly makes sense that they should. Having picture perfect couple Ginny and Harry in front of her isn't really helping matters. Oh and then there' the mystery of Malfoy, and how he's not a complete git and how he's kind of attractive and-Hermione just wanted a peaceful year, you know? But that's clearly not happening.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 5
Kudos: 113





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, some notes because I don't really go into it in the work. After the war, everyone is called back to repeat the year, meaning Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco are still in their 7th year, while Ginny is in here 6th.

There they were, all cuddled up and whispering to each other. They were in there own little world, with just them and nothing else. They kept touching, always being connected, always in each other’s space. It was a little heartbreaking to watch them, especially now. In the past, Hermione would see them and get a fuzzy feeling inside, one of joy and perhaps hope. If they could do it, why couldn’t she?

But now… Hermione couldn’t help being a little envious of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.

As she watched, she saw how in sync they were with one another, how they just anticipated what the other would do. Their movements complemented each other so well; Ginny would reach for the salt, so would Harry and handed to her. Harry didn’t even have to ask for the peas, Ginny just handed them to him. They didn’t ask, didn’t comment, didn’t even pause their conversation.

And then there was her and Ron. Sure they were great friends. And yes, they knew each other well enough to anticipate what the other would do. But, there was something missing between them, something Ginny and Harry had that Ron and her just… didn’t. On paper, they were the perfect couple. Friends that had known the other forever, went through Hell together, survived together, and then became something more. There had always been an interest in something more, at least on Hermione’s side. She had always thought Ron and her would do good together. It made sense to her, and everyone around them saw it too. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley made sense.

So why wasn’t she happy?

The four of them had gone on a double date. After Ginny’s exams, it was enough for a celebration. Hermione had put her Head Girl duties on hold, and the boys had skipped Quidditch practice. It felt like, after everything that had happened, they were finally able to be normal people doing normal teenager things. Going to school, joining clubs, complaining about teachers and homework, having relationships. They were all finally able to just… be, with no impending doom looming over their heads.

“I’m telling you, those exams were the worst! I don’t think I could do another year of this”, Ginny chuckled.

“If you studied, there shouldn’t be any reason for you to worry”, Hermione said.

“I have test anxiety! We can’t all just stroll in, take the test, and walk out without breaking a sweat”, Ginny laughed.

“You’ll be fine love. Nothing to worry about”. Harry sighed. He put his arm around Ginny and kissed her forehead.

“You say that now, but what if I fail? I won’t get into any good classes, which means I won’t get a good job, which means -“

“I’ll support us both”, Harry smiled. It was all very simple for him. Once Ginny was done with school, he was going to marry her, have children with her, then grow old with her until the end of his days. Money wasn’t really an issue for him. It wasn’t really an issue for any of them anymore.

“Oi, hands were I can see them Potter! We’re in a public place”, Ron grumbled beside Hermione. She couldn’t see the problem personally; Harry had an arm around Ginny, his head nuzzling into her neck, whispering things in her ear, while his other hand was underneath the table… maybe she could see the problem.

“Let them be Ron, no one is watching”, she chuckled.

“I’m watching them”

“Well then watch something else”, Hermione whispered, “watch me”.

Ron turned to her, a small smile playing on his lips. He really was handsome. His red hair was a bit long, it almost reached his eyes. And his freckles were everywhere, making Hermione want to count them all, just to see how many there were. He’d put on some weight, but was still fit from all the Quidditch training he did. She looked into his eyes, and instantly felt warm, cared for. She felt safe with him around. She saw the familiarity in his gaze, the years and years of knowing each other, of being there for each other. When he looked at her, she saw her family.

And even with all that, there was something missing. It was like Hermione was reaching for something, and she didn’t know what it was. There was just this… thing that felt empty when she looked at Ron. Which made no sense at all, since Ron was looking at her the way he always had. She was suppose to be happy about that, right? That was what was suppose to happen.

“Hey, lovebirds! Quite staring at each other. There are other people her you know”, taunted Ginny.

“Oh piss off Gin, you were too busy being praised by Harry anyway”.

“Well excuse me for enjoying my date with my boyfriend. I’ll have you know…”

Hermione tuned out after that. She didn’t really want to listen to Ron and Ginny bicker. She glanced at Harry and he had the same look on his face, he didn’t really want to be in the middle of their bickering.

Yet, his gaze at Ginny was not one of annoyance, but one of drowning affection. He adored that she bickered with her brother, he adored her facial expressions when Ginny was annoyed. He was probably counting the freckles of her nose as Ginny told Ron to shut up and listen. And then Hermione saw it; want. Harry wanted Ginny. He wanted to be with her, to hold her, to support her, to carry her… to have sex with her. He wanted to be close to Ginny, wanted to feel her skin, to touch her. And he did. Harry moved his arm to the table, where Ginny was resting her hand and waving around the other. Without noticing it, Harry slipped his hand into hers, drawing small circle with his thumb. After a second, a small smile spread to Ginny’s lips as she continued to argue with Ron.

Hermione looked down beside her, were there was a good thirty centimeter gap between her and Ron.

“I’ll catch up with you guys later”, Ginny announced as she waved to the boys.

After what felt like an eternity, the four finally left the small cafe. Ginny and Harry were of course holding hands, whispering to each other without a care in the world, while her and Ron… they walked in silence for a while. Then they struck conversation, and it was pleasant enough. Quidditch politics was always entertaining to hear about, but she lacked the passion Ron had for the sport. Half way to Hogwarts, Ron had taken Hermione’s had, holding it so delicately like he thought he might break her. And for a minute, Hermione felt it; want. She felt Ron grip her hand, slowly trace his thumb to the back of it. She felt him pull her closer, pull her towards him. She felt the warmth of being with him, wondering what would happen if he pulled her fully to his side, ran his fingers through her hair, nuzzled her neck while whispering nothingness to her. But when she looked up at him, there was no want, no longing to touch her, no wanting her closer. There was affection, trust, familiarity. There was friendship, and kindness, and protectiveness. But no want.

“Aren’t you coming with? It’s almost curfew”, said Harry. He was reluctant to let Ginny go. Ron was already inside.

“I won’t be long. Girl talk, you know?”, Ginny leaned in to give Harry a kiss on the cheek, squeezed his hand on last time, then turned towards Hermione and started walking. As she turned with a wave, Hermione saw a satisfied smile on Harry’s face. She didn’t even get a peck from Ron when he left.

“So… how’s being Head Girl?”

“Oh, you know. Hard. I never thought it had so many responsibilities. Between patrols and activity planning and the upcoming dance, it’s a lot.”

“Mmm. And Malfoy? He treating you alright?”

Hermione groaned. That was another mystery entirely. When Malfoy was appointed Head Boy, Hermione had been shocked. She had pleaded with Mcgonagall, asking her to please reconsider, but the wise witch didn’t do anything. And when Malfoy had moved in, Hermione had been prepared for a fight. Yet, the man that stood before her was different than her childhood bully. He was quiet, polite. Malfoy didn’t really get in her way, and hardly said a word to her for the first months they lived together. It wasn’t until Hermione snapped and picked a fight with him that things changed.

They had conversations. Lots of conversations about anything they could possibly think of. Potions, charms, law, culture. Turns out Malfoy was very curious about the Muggle world, having been told so many stories growing up it almost sounded like a myth. They talked about Purebloods and their customs, how they got to be so prejudice in the first place, and how it had gotten out of control. By the end of every conversation, Hermione came out a little wiser, a little more accepting. She could appreciate Pureblood traditions now, and could understand why they clung to them so tightly.

Malfoy had recently tried making amends with all of them, starting with Harry. It turned out the two had a lot in common, and a friendship was quickly settled. Sometimes when Hermione returned to the Head common room, she would walk in to the two boys talking. She caught clips here and there of their conversations; they seemed to have a childhood in common, as well as the pressures of being ‘the chosen one’. Malfoy and Ginny seemed to get along well too. They didn’t talk much, but they were pleasant in each others space. Hermione knew Ron only tolerated Malfoy because of Harry.

“You know how he is, too much bark and not a lot of bite. Theres really not much to tell in that front”.

Ginny nodded and kept walking.

As they walked in silence, Hermione’s thoughts drifted back to Malfoy. He really had become a good friend. Yes, they still bickered, disagreeing with certain things. Sometime she would just tease him about something, because it was genuinely fun to spare with him. And he would do the same, she knew. One time they got at it because she was nibbling on a quill, another when he kept rearranging his books every couple of minutes. Just the day before, Hermione had caught Malfoy doing his hair in the bathroom, and Merlin did he take the time to do it. He even had a comb to get that disheveled look that he liked. Admittedly, Hermione liked it too.

She couldn’t deny that Malfoy was a handsome man. With his angular features and his white-blonde hair. They way his muscles would move underneath his Oxford, how he was physically fit, but not bulky like Ron. How sometimes if she stared too long, she could get lost in his grey eyes -

“Hermione? You okay?”, asked Ginny. They had stopped in the middle of the corridor, about halfway to the Heads dormitory.

“Yes… yeah I’m fine. Why did we stop?”

Ginny sighed, “you like him, don’t you?”

Hermione could feel her face start to warm up, “Like who?”

“Malfoy, of course,” Ginny tilted her head sideways a bit, a small smirk dancing on her lips, “you like him, don’t you?”

“W- what?”, Hermione gasped.

“It’s okay if you do”.

“No. No it’s -“

“It’s fine really, I’m sure Ron will -“

“It’s not fine Ginny”, Hermione finally exclaimed. It felt like all the oxygen had been punched out of her. “It’s not fine that I like him”.

Ginny came closer, “Why not?”

Hermione look to her, the only female friend she considered close, and saw only sympathy. Which made it harder to respond to her question.

“Hermione?”

“I shouldn’t have these feelings”

“Why not?”

“Because - because it doesn’t make sense Ginny! It doesn’t make any sense at all that I would have feelings for someone who bullied me for the past seven years. It doesn’t make sense that a year ago I didn’t even like the guy, and now…”

Ginny had lead them to a wall, were Hermione now sat, her back to it as Ginny lightly stroked her curls, “And now?”

Hermione was fighting to keep her tears to herself, but it seemed like a losing battle. “I - I - I don’t know!”, she said as the dam finally broke.

Hermione cried. And sobbed. And howeled. She poured her heart on her friends shoulder, something she hadn’t been able to so in a long time.

“Why can’t we just have what you and Harry have?”

“And what would that be?”, Ginny asked in a soothing tone. She kept stoking Hermione’s hair.

“Passion. Want. Desire. You two couldn’t keep your hand from each other today. And - and it wasn’t even in a sexual way. You were just - there with each other, in each others face. Ron and I hardly even touched!”

Fresh tears prevented Hermione from talking further. She laid her head back on Ginny’s shoulder and sobbed. Not once did Ginny stop stroking Hermione’s hair.

“You know I use to be jealous of you and Harry? Of the connection you two have?”

Hermione sobbed harder as a responce.

“You two are always so in sync with each other. So connected. You don’t even have to say anything for Harry to know somethings going on with you. And it always intimidated me. How could I compete with that? How could I ever hope to have that connection with him.”

“But he’s like a brother to me -“

“Exactly. You two are family. You get each other. You have each other’s back. But that’s all you’ll ever be to him, his sister.”

“And I don’t want anything else from him -“

“I know. And I also know he would never want anything further with you.”

“Why are you telling me this?”, Hermione asked. There was a voice in the back of her mind that responded, one that she often chose to ignore.

“Because… that connection between you and Ron? Thats a family connection, not a romantic one.”

“No. No. I- I don’t think of Ron as just a brother. I -“

“You think about Ron in a physical way? You think about having sex with him?”

“Well, sometimes. Not really… Ginny this is a very awkward conversation to be having with you”.

“You don’t think I know that?”, Ginny chuckled, “but who else are you gonna talk to?”

Both girls stared at each other for a second, then burst into quiet giggles. But that’s why Hermione loved Ginny; she could talk to her about anything with no judgment.

“So… do you think of him that way?”

Hermione sighed, “I don’t know. Sometimes? It’s not often it happens. When it does…”

“What?”

“It feels weird. Like it’s not something I should be thinking about. And then I’ll look over at Ron, and it’s like he’s confirming what I already think.”

“Well, maybe that’s because Ron - he doesn’t see you as aa romantic partner at all.”

Hermione looked at Ginny and stared at her, mouth open. Ginny kept going.

“The way I see it, the both of you are forcing this connection, this feeling that you two have, into something that just - isn’t. And I can understand why, the world has practically shoved the two of you together. But I don’t think that’s what either of you actually want.”

It made sense when Ginny said it, of course the world had said they should be together, and yes they might be forcing something, but -

“It makes perfect sense to be with him Ginny. Theres no reason for us not. To be together. And if- if we aren’t that means -“

Ginny stayed quiet when Hermione broke into new tears. It was too hard to even say it.

“You feel like you failed. Like you let someone down just because you’re not with him. But Hermione, that’s not true.”

Hermione continued to cry, but it has softened. She didn’t want to admit it, but that’s exactly how she felt. Ron was supposed to be her soulmate. But if he wasn’t, what did that make her?”

“Look at me. Look at me, Hermione”, Ginny lifted up her chin, “you are a strong, independent witch that doesn’t need a man at her side. Just because you’re not with Ron, doesn’t mean you’ll let everyone down. Do what’s best for you. Be with who ever you deem fit. And stop trying to please everyone”.

Hermione looked up, saw Ginny staring back at her. She hated that Ginny was right, hated that she had been swayed by popular opinion. Hated that she had broken down over a boy.

“The war is over. You need to start worrying about yourself”.

She took the longest way possible to the Heads dorm. She need to think, to reflect. Something Hermione didn’t do as often as she would like.

Did she love Ron? Was Ron her ideal vision of a soulmate? He was a good friend for sure. One of the best. They had been through so much together, and had grown so much together. He was supportive, and caring, and protective. Stubborn for sure, but he always wanted what was best for her. Ron was always just always there. He made her feel safe. Appreciated, even if it was just helping him with his homework. He always came to her for advice, or asked her what she would do in a certain situation.

Ron didn’t seek her out as much anymore, only when it came to work or the future. They didn’t really hang out by themselves anymore. They stopped doing that when the war was over… didn’t really need her anymore for advice. Harry and her still did things together, but her and Ron kind of - stopped.

As Hermione rounded the corner, the sinking realization hit her more and more. That yes, she cared about Ron and always would. But, she didn’t love him. She didn’t want to be with someone that just came to her for advice, or who she had to remind to do something. She didn’t want to mother her partner. And Hermione realized that is exactly what would happen if her and Ron got together.

She had no doubt Ron would make a good partner, just not to her.

And just like that, Hermione felt lighter. Less stressed, less confused. She felt secure again, with no conflicts in sight. Hermione felt like herself again; confident and with a plan to have the most normal year possible -

“Hey Granger, how was your ‘date’?”, asked Malfoy.

She hadn’t even noticed she was already at the Heads dorm, but now… Malfoy was laying on the sofa, just in pajama bottoms that sat low on his hips. He had a book in hand, _The Practical Potioneer_. His short platinum hair looked damp, meaning she had just missed his evening shower.He look so comfortable and almost bored, but something was off. He looked as if he was… forcing his appearance. He was slightly tense, holding the book just a little too tightly… but Merlin, did he look good -

Wait, what?

“None of you buisness Malfoy”, Hermione calmly said. She didn’t really want to get into it, especially with him. She turned and started making her way towards her room.

“I was just wondering if this was going to be a regular thing, you coming in after curfew”.

“Why? Were you waiting up for me?”

When Malfoy didn’t answer, she turned towards him. Was she seeing things, or was he blushing?

“As if. I just wanted something to tell the teachers if they came looking”.

Malfoy got up from the couch and stretched, giving Hermione a pretty good view of, well everything. His chest, his abs, the smallest dip to his navel -

Malfoy clears his throat softly, a small smirk on his face. “And besides, I don’t mind having you around as much. You make for interesting conversation”.

Hermione doesn’t move when Malfoy walks past her towards his room. She didn’t tense up when they briefly brushed shoulders. And she definitely didn’t blush when he smiled back at her from the top of the stairs.

“Goodnight Granger”

“Goodnight, Malfoy”

Merlin she was in trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

For the past week, Hermione had been avoiding both Ron and Draco as much as she could. And she was exhausted.

She still felt weird with Ron. Not because she still harbored feelings for him, no that ship had sailed. It was weird because they were still technically together. Sure, they didn’t act like it, but everyone thought they were. It seemed silly, but Hermione heard people whispering when she walked by. It was expected, she guessed; she was a war hero that was with not only another war hero but also her best friend. They were the perfect love story, and a week ago Hermione would have agreed and played along with all of them. But a week ago, she hadn’t noticed Draco’s chest, or the muscles of his back, or how when he smiled her legs almost gave out and she couldn’t stop blushing -

Obviously, theses thought is weird and inappropriate to have while walking down the hall with who everyone assumes is your boyfriend.

“Mione, you alright? Your face is awfully red”, Ron asked.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. Just a bit hot, I guess”.

“Really? But it’s so warm today - “

“Yes well. I’ve been walking up and down the castle all day preparing for the ball in a couple months and then Draco forgot the paperwork on his desk and - “

“He’s not messing with you is he, Malfoy? You know I still don’t trust that git”, Ron scowled as he sung his arm around Hermione. A week ago, she would have been over the moon over this. But now she sees it like it is; a protective gesture, one of a friend taking care of another friend.

“No, nothing like that. He’s been incredibly helpful”, Hermione chuckled. She really was having a good time with Draco and planning this year’s graduation ball. He had been really helpful with the decor and helping her keep organized amongst all the chaos. Draco was really good for brainstorming, and as criticism on her crazier ideas. Both of them wanted to put muggle elements into the ball, as well as keeping in line with the tradition of the school. They still had a few things to plan out, but with how good and seamlessly the worked together they would probably be done well before expected.

Ron and Hermione walked into class, his arm still protectively around her. Ron leaned in and kissed her check, saying that he would see her after class, and took a seat near the back next to Harry. Hermione took her regular seat in the front of the room. It was History of magic, meaning she had a desk all to herself. Not many people wanted to sit next to her in lessons, them not particularly fond of her furious note taking. Or of what would happen if someone interrupted her. Hermione didn’t really mind, she preferred it this way.

The lesson started normally, with no one really paying attention besides her. She was in the middle of scribbling her notes when she heard her name being whispered behind her.

“- Granger and Weasley are still together? I would have thought they would have fizzled out by now”

“No, they’ve been friends forever and know each other too well. They’re love is probably more evolved”

“Hmm. Don’t you think it a little strange, though? How two friends that act like siblings suddenly start to date?”

“Maybe, but who are we to judge?”

The whispering stopped then. Sure, Hermione was annoyed that they were talking about her personal life so openly, but at least one of them was respectful enough to shut it down, right? And really, Hermione would have to get use to this eventually. She, Ron, and Harry were pretty famous, and inevitably people are going to want to snoop around her life. Hermione just had to keep moving and -

“Do you think he’s shagged her?”, the whispering began again. Hermione could feel her face start to heat up.

“Violet!”

“What? Everyone’s wondering about it”

“That doesn’t make it right. Come on the girl is right there - “

“Oh, please she’s probably too focused by the lesson that she doesn’t even hear us”

“Still - “

“Come on, just give me your answer.”

Silence. Person two clearly didn’t want to talk about this with Violet, and Hermione silently loved them for it.

“I think he hasn’t. I don’t think Weasley has shagged Granger”

“Violet please stop - “

“You know why? Because there is nothing attractive about a know it all bookworm. I mean, yes, she saved the world, and yes, she’s filled out a bit in the last couple of years… but there isn’t any sexual energy around her”

“Violet, come on, that’s just cruel. And besides, if she was as unattractive as you say then why is Weasley with her?”

“Because it’s easy? Because it makes sense? I mean there’s not many girls lined up for him. And there aren’t any boys lined up for Granger either! That’s actually probably why they’re together; because they didn’t have a choice”

“That’s cruel Violet, Hermione Granger is not that desperate - “

“Oh, I bet you she is. The only guy that’s been close to her before is Victor Krum, and do you know what happened to him? He found nothing of interest, nothing to hold his attention, and left. Face it, she might be the brightest witch of our generation, but she is nothing special. Nothing to keep a man’s attention. And that’s why she’s settled for Weasley, someone just as uninteresting as her”

“You disgust me”

And then it ended. Hermione could barely breath. She was holding back tears. Her face felt so warm, yet so cold. She was sure she was shaking. Hermione wanted to leave, to run away and hide in her room and never come out. But no, she wouldn’t give Violet the satisfaction. She wouldn’t let this pathetic excuse for a female know how humiliated Hermione actually felt. So, she took a deep breath and focused ahead, determined to get the most out of the lesson.

… but of course, she couldn’t focus. She couldn’t stop replaying the words she heard. Was she really unattractive? Was she uninteresting on a physical level? Is that how the world preserved her, as a desperate, not special, barely a women witch that settled with an equally unintresting wizard? Which by the way didn’t even find her interesting to begin with, but just settled for her because what? There was no competition? Because of pity? Was that how Ron saw it? Saw her? And what about Draco? Nothing had happened between them, even though there had been plenty of opportunities… was this why? Did Draco not find her appealing?

‘Well of course he doesn’t find me appealing’, she thought as Hermione remembered all the women that she had seen Draco with. They were all beautiful and sophisticated, with curves and manageable hair. What was she compared to them, but a walking stick with no sexual potential? And of course, Draco had experience with women, he wouldn’t want to be with an inexperienced ’stick’ that wouldn’t be able to arouse a rock! Women like Astoria and Daphne Greengrass, who were beautiful and popular and could probably just wave and have men at their feet. What could Hermione do against that?

By the time the lesson ended, Hermione felt sick to her stomach. She ran past Ron and Harry, who didn’t even seem to notice or care that she had left. Hermione kept her head down and books close to her chest as she headed straight to the Head’s dorm. She was convinced everyone was looking at her, whispering about how utterly unattractive she was. The humiliation… it was worse than anything she had experienced, including being tortured. That had been done by a crazy lady behind of a sick and twist wizard, following and even more twisted and disgusting ideology. But this… this felt like an even more personal attack than anything Voldemort had ever done. It’s silly and immature and so far from herself, and yet, it hurt Hermione to the core.

When she got the Head’s dorm, she rushed past Draco to her private room. How could she face him now that she knew what he really thought of her?

“Hey Granger, was just coming to look for you - are you alright?”

“Not know Malfoy”, the words came out harsher than Hermione had wanted.

“Umm, okay. Well are we still going to - “

“Don’t you have better things to do? Someone far more appealing to antagonize?”, Hermione yelled at him. She saw the shock, the pity, on his face and interpreted that Draco did indeed have ‘better things to do’.

“More appealing? What are you talking about? I thought - “

Just then someone yelled from the portrait, “Draco, are you ready to go? We’re going to be late for our reservations!”

And there is was; he had a date. A date. With who sounded to be none other than Astoria Greengrass. Draco looked at her, the color in his checks rising and eyes wide.

“Hermione it’s not - “

“No, Malfoy please. You better get going on your date. Don’t want to keep a potential fuck waiting!”, and with that she stormed into her room and slammed the door.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on her door.

“Hermione come on it me. Open up”

There was no way Hermione was letting Draco see her. She had been crying her heart out as soon as she set foot in her room. Her face was puffy and red, not to mention the tear tracts running down her face. Besides, didn’t he have a date to get too?

“Go away Malfoy. Greengrass must be beside herself with worry”

Her door opened, and she heard him come through. He sat on the floor beside her, his knees pulled up to his chest, “Astoria is just fine. She’ll just find someone else to go shopping with”.

“You don’t make reservations to go shopping”, Hermione snorted.

“You do when you’re going robe shopping for the ball”

“But that’s months away”

“Doesn’t mean you have to wait to look your best”

“Oh”

Silence. Before today, Hermione had actually though of asking Draco to the dance. She had planned out the timing perfectly, starting with her ‘break up’ with Ron and ending with her asking Draco to the ball. Only know did she see how naive her planning had been. Her plan would’ve only worked if he had liked her, which he didn’t -

“You want to tell me what that was down there?”

‘No, I don’t’, she thought. “I’m sorry I called you Malfoy - “

“What? No, I don’t care about that. I want to know why you would call yourself that”

“Why I call myself Malfoy?”, Hermione almost giggled.

“No, unappealing”

“Isn’t is obvious?”, she asked.

“No, it’s not. I don’t get how a beautiful woman like you - “

Hermione looked up at him then. He was looking hard at the ground, the slightest pink shine on his checks. “You think I’m beautiful?”

“Well of course I do. Doesn’t everyone?”

She snorted, “Of course not. They all think I’m a walking stick with a skirt. Violet pretty much said I was the least interesting thing on the planet”

“Who’s Violet?”

“Does it matter? The point is - “

“If it doesn’t matter, then why did you believe her?”

Hermione didn’t know how to respond to that. He was right of course, and deep down she agreed with him. But still -

“Hermione. Granger look at me”, Draco put his fingers under her chin and forced her to face him. Only now did she notice how close they actually were. His eyes were determined, unwavering as they stared deep into her. It was as if he was trying to see her soul.

“You are, by far, the most amazing witch I have ever met. You are brave, stubborn, and incredibly witty. You are kind, and willing to forgive even those of us that don’t deserve to be. You are so beautiful, with grace and confidence that other girls only dream of having. When I look at you, I see all that is good, and all that I don’t deserve. And I envy the block lucky enough to keep you”, he cupped her face, his eyes growing darker as he pulled her even closer to where her nose almost touched his.

“Because you are aren’t just appealing, you’re breathtaking. You ignite a fire in me so suffocating I sometimes can’t breathe. You are the kind of woman that can catch any man’s attention and keep it. And you have. You have my undivided attention. Don’t you see it when you walk through the halls? Blocks openly gawk at you, waiting to see any part of you that they can. And it takes my full self-control to not beat them to shit when they start to undress you. I wish I could. I wish I could tell them you’re mine and that only I can see you”, Hermione gasped as he wound on hand into her hair and tugged. On instinct, her arms reached up and clutched his biceps. Heat started to pool in her stomach, and she was short of breath. She could feel how tense Draco was, how he shuddered at her touch.

“So, don’t ever say that you’re unappealing. There isn’t anything uninteresting about you”, Draco whispered that last part at he pulled her closer, until her lips finally met his.


End file.
